A patient has been exposed to a toxic chemical.The nurse's first priority is _______________.

decontamination
Suspect a toxic chemical event when large numbers of ill people present who have unexplained yet similar symptoms.The primary objective for initial care is decontamination,the process used to remove harmful contaminants from the surface of the skin.You achieve this by removing clothing,scrubbing the skin,and performing hydrolysis,a process of chemical dilution in which large volumes of water are used.